ROBERT E. CLUKEY, III, LCDR, USN

Robert Clukey, III '91

Lucky Bag

From the 1991 Lucky Bag:

Robert Edward Clukey III

Orno, Maine

It started when we were STANDING IN LINE, and I saw Trey, complete with his eyes in the boat machine, chopping down the hall. Now Cluke after being DIRTY for awhile and millions of calculations behind us, we're finally going to graduate. Here are a few things to remember: The Girls of Rock and Roll, AWESOME skiing, San Fran, IMBAT/EVERAGE/CLUKEY, not high-five'n (but close enough), ring dance, elves, that tennis ball, and an iguana named Hendrix. Some things to FORGET: me being BLUE, you being BLUE (I told you it hurt), me parked in Coronado, and you somewhere in the greater San Fran area five hours before departure time. We broke every reg but one (and who knows maybe by now you've broken that one too). Even though you were UNSAT once, its OK, cause so was SHE. Remember the beaches of Coronado really can be fun, and I still owe you that chicken run. Although it took foooorrrrever, we got through this place together, and whether I see you at BUD/s, or over me in the clear blue, I'll always stand beside you. BEV (and Hendrix the Iguana)

Robert Edward Clukey III

Orno, Maine

It started when we were STANDING IN LINE, and I saw Trey, complete with his eyes in the boat machine, chopping down the hall. Now Cluke after being DIRTY for awhile and millions of calculations behind us, we're finally going to graduate. Here are a few things to remember: The Girls of Rock and Roll, AWESOME skiing, San Fran, IMBAT/EVERAGE/CLUKEY, not high-five'n (but close enough), ring dance, elves, that tennis ball, and an iguana named Hendrix. Some things to FORGET: me being BLUE, you being BLUE (I told you it hurt), me parked in Coronado, and you somewhere in the greater San Fran area five hours before departure time. We broke every reg but one (and who knows maybe by now you've broken that one too). Even though you were UNSAT once, its OK, cause so was SHE. Remember the beaches of Coronado really can be fun, and I still owe you that chicken run. Although it took foooorrrrever, we got through this place together, and whether I see you at BUD/s, or over me in the clear blue, I'll always stand beside you. BEV (and Hendrix the Iguana)

Shipmate

Lieutenant Commander Robert E. Clukey III, USN, died when his FA-18 Hornet crashed in the Adriatic Sea during training on 3 November 2002. He was 33 years old.

Born in Bangor, ME, a native of nearby Orono, "Trey" was a member of the ski patrol, an emergency medical technician, and a state-ranked competitive skier in high school. He received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy from Senator William Cohen of Maine. At the Naval Academy, Trey earned a bachelor of science degree in oceanography and was a member of the offshore sailing team. He graduated in May 1991, a member of the 30th Company.

Trey attended flight training in Pensacola, FL, and Kingsville, TX, and was designated a naval aviator in September 1994. In October, he reported to VMFAT-101 at MCAS El Toro, CA, for FA-18 Hornet training. In November 1995 he reported to VFA-113 the "Stingers" in Lamoore, CA. During this tour, Trey completed two deployments to the Persian Gulf on Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), flying 38 combat missions in support of operations Southern Watch and Desert Strike. He was awarded the Strike/Flight Air Medal for his actions in these operations.

Call sign "Plumbr," Trey was selected to become a strike fighter tactical instructor in October 1998. He completed the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor training course at Top Gun in Fallon, NV and was assigned to the Strike Fighter Weapons School, Atlantic in February 1999. While at the Weapons School, he served as the weapons and tactics coordinator and was the air-to-ground employment subject matter expert for the East Coast Hornet community.

In August 2001, Trey reported to VFA-34, the "Blue Blasters," as the tactics officer and deployed on George Washington (CVN-73) in June 2002. While on deployment, Trey completed 20 combat missions over Southern Iraq and Afghanistan in support of operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom. He also conducted missions in operation Deliberate Forge/Decisive Guardian in support of NATO peacekeeping in Bosnia. In September 2002 he was awarded his second Strike/Flight Air Medal.

Trey is survived by his parents, Robert E. Clukey Jr. and Francis H. Clukey of Bangor, ME; and two sisters, Robin Clukey of Carmel, ME, and Christina Clukey of Bangor, ME.

Jeff Everage

Class of 1991

Robert is one of 10 members of the Class of 1991 on Virtual Memorial Hall.